Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.65
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 8.65
7. Bhūmicālavagga
7. Earthquakes
Abhibhāyatanasutta
Dimensions of Mastery
“Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, abhibhāyatanāni.
“Mendicants, there are these eight dimensions of mastery.
Katamāni aṭṭha?
What eight?
Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.
Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ paṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the first dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.
Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ dutiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the second dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ tatiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the third dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ catutthaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the fourth dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ pañcamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the fifth dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the sixth dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, red, with red color and red appearance.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ sattamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the seventh dimension of mastery.
Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, white, with white color and white appearance.
‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
Idaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.
This is the eighth dimension of mastery.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.
These are the eight dimensions of mastery.”
Pañcamaṁ.